NHL participation in Olympic Games - Official. Not going to 2018 Games

[Flyerfan52]

Unlike most I enjoyed the World Cup. We still saw the best vs. best from the top 6 hockey nations but rather than a bunch of teams that were just fodder for the strong 1s to run up the score we saw a European team with the best of the rest going for Gold. The Danes, Germans & the like could never have come close to that with a national team.

Sure it's a cash cow for the NHL & NHLPA but the money goes to those actually invested in the game rather than the IOC who takes the profits from the center piece of the Olypics but does nothing to grow the game. If they made it a 3 way split with IIHF's share earmarked for them to continue their work growing the game it would be fairer. We already see teams & players in the NHL give back to communities in NA with programs to help lress fortunate kids afford hockey which again is good for the game.

 

Sure, the under 24 players born in NA don't get to play for their country but given the surprising strenth of Team Europe maybe next time have 2 teams made up of the best from the also ran nations to replace the kiddie corps. Seeing the best Swiss or whatever born players do well in that type of competition is more likely to generate interest than watching their team get steam rolled game after game.

 

NHL owners are being called greedy for not going (& taking a finacial loss) but it's the IOC wanting to take all profits without giving up anything. Sponsors such as Coke can use the Olympic logo on their product but the IOC won't even allow the NHL that.

[cross16]

I completely agree FF. I actually thought the quality of hockey at the World Cup was far superior to what we saw in Sochi. I'll admit I was not as passionate about the World Cup as I was about the Olympic but it was a small gap.

 

However, I do think this issue is far from over.

 

[Flyerfan52]

1 hour ago, cross16 said:

I completely agree FF. I actually thought the quality of hockey at the World Cup was far superior to what we saw in Sochi. I'll admit I was not as passionate about the World Cup as I was about the Olympic but it was a small gap.

 

However, I do think this issue is far from over.

 

I'm sure it's far from over as others will follow OV's lead. Some teams (especially those like Washington with an abundance of Euros) could be decimated during a very important part of the season.

Imagine Chicago if Toews, Kane, Keith, Seabrook, Hjalmarrson all breach their contract (that is what every player that goes is doing since they know their team won't terminate them) & miss that month.

It could happen in Edmonton with McDavid & Drasaitl or Pitts with Crosby & Malkin.

Even the Jets could be decimated with Wheeler, Laine, Elhers, Trouba & Buff.

 

Sure has the potential to change the playoff picture.

[rickross]

I think the bigger picture is how this may come into play if there happens to be another NHL lockout. Players won't appreciate the owners stripping away the option to compete for country, let alone at the Olympics! I still think they'll manage to work something out as this will be bad press on the NHL and its ownership group but if we start seeing players like Ovi "defect" just so they can play in the Olympics its going to open a whole new can of worms. At least Canadian players came out on top with the last couple of Olympics but the US, Russia, Sweden, Finland these countries likely feel they never reached Olympic success of late and the hunger is likely still there. 

[Flyerfan52]

If the NHL says the players can't go is the IIHF going to jeopardize that relationship & the $s that go with it by sanctioning those very players if they refuse to heed the league mandate? This would leave the players like OV to "retire" from the NHL ala Kovalchuk to go play in Europe but how many rubles, kroner, euro dollars are there to go around for players making many millions a year under a more stable economy? Not to mention the perks like aircraft that are safetied, medical people on site with an ambulance available rather than circling & the fancy dressing rooms they are accustomed to.

The NHL hasn't commented yet on ramifications for players that attempt to go anyway or for owners like Leonsis that say they'll heed their players wishes rather than those of the governing body. It could be anything from fines &/or suspensions for the player while an owner could concievably lose his share of NHL revenue for a term. His team could also be fined &/or lose high round draft picks for whatever term the league desires (if the team is willing to water down it's product why let them pick high if they drop out of the playoffs).

 

Regardless how this plays out the only party that won't be hurt is the IOC as the ducats to games are sold & ditto the advertising contracts signed.

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A best case scenario for Olympic hockey might be to get closer to the old amateur rule for men's hockey by moving the time table for the WJC to have the best juniors from every country wear their nations colors on a bigger stage. & yes, I realize that some of the drafted & signed juniors returned to junior are not technically amateur anymore.

This avoids the farce of the USSR claiming the Red Army to be a team of amateurs.

 

Failing that the NAs that couldn't cut it in the NHL but do well in the Euro leagues seem well cut out for the bigger international ice surface & more stringent penalty rules. Supplemented by college players, career AHLers & a few juniors they could well be @ least competitive especially if the IIHF upheld the NHL mandate).

[Cowtownguy]

I am not really invested in this matter one way or the other. The Olympics lost their credibility for me a few decades ago, so the tournament is not particularly important. Having said that, I do love ice hockey tournaments and it would be interesting to watch some of the newbies compete. I would love to see what Crosby and McDavid could accomplish together against Eichel and that guy in Toronto. Sorry, I have so little interest in the far east that I cannot remember the name of their young star, but apparently they have one. Is it Austin Powers? I have often wished that the NHL would be more creative and come up with ways to hold more, shorter tournaments. The playoffs are way too long IMO.

 

Of greater interest to me is how Ovechkin's overt display of subordination will affect Bettman. OV is a sh!% disturber and Bettman is not exactly a congenial person. In defence of Bettman, he has been an effective agent for the owners, he has introduced cost certainty for teams, and he has generated a plan to expand the game throughout the US (and possibly the Middle East, Africa, and the moon). I believe he even generated a profit-sharing program to ensure small market teams didn't go under when the Canadian dollar was quite low. Having said that, I still think he is the father of Satan and this is evident to the extent that his eyes are black pools of pure evil and flowers wilt when he walks by. OV must be driving him nuts right now, and if OV manages to get what he wants, and others follow, Buttman is in trouble because negotiations with the players will be adversely affected from an owner's point of view. I am not sure if Bettman played his hand well because this decision could undo a lot of Bettman's work. Ergo, I suspect that this is not the end of the matter. I bet the players do attend the Olympics. I would also put good money down on the bet that OV has been biding his time to get this type of opportunity to stick it to Mr. Smith Bettman.

 

Of course, I could be reading this all wrong. 

[Cowtownguy]

The NHL has argued that participation in the Olympics has not grown the game. What does that mean exactly, and how does one measure it if you are not moving into new markets? I am not going to buy more Flames tickets if they play in Outer Mongolia, and neither will you. I watch as many games as I can based on my disposable income. The key is to increase viewership and then move into emerging markets. I am not saying that the NHL should capitulate, but it is erroneous to say that there are no potential benefits to participation.

[JTech780]

I wonder if this news changes the way Canada looks at putting together a team for the World Championships. Instead of taking a bunch of NHL talent from teams that missed the playoffs, I wonder if they take this opportunity to look at some of the players that they might want on the Olympic team. Chemistry might end up being the key to Team Canada getting a medal at the Olympics, why not get a head start?

 

I can also see a ton of European players looking to go back overseas next year for a chance to represent their countries. International tournaments mean more to them than playing for an NHL team.

[The_People1]

It's disappointing the NHL is not going to the Olympics this time around but it sounds like they are definitely going to China next time?  That's a confusing message.

 

The KHL is already in China with the Kunlun Red Star, the first KHL team based in China.  Hockey culture in China is... let's say,... well, see for yourself,